Man and Wife
by kaikin
Summary: Draco watches Hermione on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.......her wedding day...
1. Chapter 1

In a small chapel on New Year's Day, it was to be the day war heroes Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger finally became man and wife. The interior of the chapel had been beautifully decorated as befitting heroes and the guests made appropriate sounds of appreciation as they walked in. Colourful flowers adorned the aisle, the high stained windows had been polished till they shone and miles and miles of gold satin ribbons hung gracefully from the ceilings. To most of the guests they hadn't been surprised when they had received their invitation to the ceremony as they believed that this wedding was already a given in the progression of Ron and Hermione's relationship.

"I knew this would eventually happen," Lavender Brown could be overheard saying from the middle pews. "Of course that was _after_ my tryst with Ron ended back in the sixth year."

"My Ronnie's finally getting married to Hermione!" Molly Weasley sobbed from the front row as they awaited the start of the ceremony. "They were made for each other!"

To the man sitting in the back row however, this wedding was to be the end of him. Figuratively and literally. Draco Malfoy could clearly make out what the incessant chatter was all about but he _knew_ deep in his heart of hearts that they were _all_ wrong.

"_Like hell Ron Weasley is the man for Hermione!"_ Draco thought indignantly as he shot glares at everyone present in the chapel.

When no one seemed to respond to his death glares, Draco turned his irate gaze to the front of the chapel. Dead center at the front, he could see Ron Weasley shuffling his huge feet with a nervous grin on his face. Ron was dressed in a black tuxedo and with his riotous red hair he didn't look a day over seventeen. Right beside him, as best man, stood the heroes of all heroes, Harry Potter. Harry was also dressed in black and his hair had been attempted to be flattened but to no avail. It still looked somewhat like a disaster. Harry was outwardly beaming and patting Ron on the back but Draco caught him shooting furtive looks at the chapel's door.

"_Probably afraid she won't show up,"_ Draco thought with a smirk.

Harry had been one of the few people who had even known of Hermione's relationship with Draco during the War. Harry was also the guy that Draco had gotten killed for while trying to assist him in the final battle.

"Potter you still owe me one!" Draco shouted at the top of his lungs, for lack of nothing better to do.

No reaction. Harry was still grinning. Oh well, he wasn't expecting anything anyway.

Draco was getting impatient as he fidgeted in his seat. He was here to see Hermione again on the happiest day of her life. But so far all he had seen were annoying Gryffindors and their disgustingly happy lives.

Draco's attention slowly wandered to the decorations of the chapel. So far Hermione's wedding was _nothing_ like he imagined. At some time long ago when the both of them had spoken freely (albeit a little hesitantly at first) of wedding plans and their future lives, her dreams had been about the complete opposite of what he was presently witnessing. Draco's heart clenched painfully at the thought of how much she had evidently changed since then.

"Will all the guests please stand up in welcoming the wedding procession?" the pleasant faced priest finally called from the front of the room, snapping Draco out of his reverie.

"Took you long enough," Draco muttered as he slowly unfurled his long body and stood up along with the rest of the guests. Without realising it, he was holding his breath in anticipation as he turned his full attention towards the chapel doors. He hadn't seen Hermione for what felt like a million _lifetimes_ and he missed her. Every day, he missed her.

The large doors to the chapel were slowly pushed open and out came two sweet little children throwing flowers on their way down the aisle. Redheads and freckles.

"_Junior Weasleys of course,"_ Draco thought without much interest.

Then out came Ginny Weasley looking pretty in a light gold bridesmaid dress that highlighted the gold streaks in her copper hair. Draco watched as she winked cheekily at Potter.

Then the opening notes to the Wedding March swelled grandly. All the guests started craning their necks to get a better glimpse of the bride.

…And _finally_…. there she was. A vision in wedding white. Her hair rained down in soft chestnut curls and her face was glowing as if she had a secret no one else knew.

Draco's breath caught in his throat as he stood there transfixed, as he watched her walk down the aisle on her beaming father's arm. She was _exactly_ as he remembered. There was something completely bittersweet about this image of her walking down the aisle. Of her about to marry a man that wasn't him. And as much as he resented it, he wanted her to be happy. He wanted that almost more than he wanted anything in the world. His eyes followed her as she reached the front of the chapel and turned to her father. Her father had tears in his eyes as he kissed his only daughter and whispered something in her ear. Hermione's face softened and she smiled gently up at him.

A split second before she turned to her fiancé, Draco caught a flash of unexpected emotion in Hermione's face. Draco froze. Had he seen it right?

Up in the front Hermione and Ron faced each other, hand in hand with the priest visible between them. Draco could now clearly see the expression on Ron's face when Ron looked at Hermione. It was of love and wonderment.

"_It'd better be. That Weasley had better treat her right even if he has to sell his poor ass to do it!"_ Draco thought fiercely.

He was relieved though at the knowledge that Hermione would never have to struggle in life. He had made sure of it. On the event of his death the entire Malfoy estate now belonged to her.

Draco searched Hermione's face carefully but she was smiling again. He must not have seen it right. Not on her wedding day.

"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today…."

Draco let his eyes rove leisurely on her face. He knew it so well. The curve of her mouth when'd she smiled prettily at a joke he told. Or more accurately she'd probably been smiling at his lousy attempts at jokes. He'd never been that funny after all. Most times he just wanted to make her laugh again after a hard day's work, chasing Death Eaters and experiencing all the death and mayhem. And the colour of her eyes and the way it changed shades when she was happy or sad or mad….

_And there it was again!_ Draco knew he couldn't be mistaken this time. There had definitely been sadness and pain in Hermione's eyes.

"Do you Hermione Jane Granger take Ronald Weasley to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

For the briefest of moments, Draco saw Hermione's eyes slid away from Weasley's face to the back of the chapel where he was standing and their eyes _locked_. Draco's insides turned to ice. She couldn't _see _him could she? The moment passed however as soon as it happened and Hermione turned her eyes back to Ron.

"I do," she said gently in a barely audible voice.

Even when he had been expecting those words it still tore at his gut to hear them.

"If anyone opposes this union, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Draco _longed_ so badly to shout that _he _damn well bloody opposed! He was supposed to marry Hermione! He wanted to be there for her in sickness and in health…He was already half way up his chair and just straining to say the words when with a huge tortured sigh he sat back down heavily. There was no use.

The priest satisfied with the lack of response, proclaimed loudly in a jovial tone,

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Draco turned away at the words. If he had to see Weasley actually kiss Hermione…he'd probably find a way to stab Weasley in his sleep. Draco cast his eyes around the guests with no feeling in his heart. As his eyes passed the middle pews, he realised with a jolt that there was a young girl sitting there _staring_ at him.

Slowly Draco got up his heart pounding with excitement as he walked towards her _She_ could help him. There was no doubt that she could see him. Her wide blue eyes followed his progression until he was right in front of her.

"Hi. I'm Draco," Draco said softly as he knelt in front of her.

"I'm Bethany."

A long pause as they both stared at each other.

Then, "Are you a ghost?"

Draco glanced briefly at the people around them. Nobody seemed to realise that this little girl was talking to herself. They were too busy concentrating on the couple up front.

"Not really. People who die get to pick one day back with the living and well, today's my only day on earth before I move on," Draco explained.

"When did you die?" she asked curiously.

Draco gave a bitter laugh.

"A very very long time ago."

"Then why wait until now to move on?"

Unwillingly Draco's eyes were drawn to Hermione. His Hermione. Now Ron's Hermione.

Bethany saw the changes in his face. One of regret, longing and finally just plain love.

"You wanted to wait to see Aunt Hermione get married," Bethany answered herself as she grasped the situation.

Draco turned back to Bethany and composed his features. He never expected it'd be this hard to see Hermione again. Wasn't death supposed to mellow him or something? Yet he still felt all his emotions stronger than ever. Jealousy, resentment, longing, _love_.

"Yeah I did. I wanted to remember her as the happiest she'll ever be. I figured it'd be today," Draco admitted softly.

Suddenly before Bethany could reply Draco felt an unwelcome tug at his body and feelings of panic rippled through him. His time was running out. Urgently he turned to Bethany, "Can you do something for me?..."

….A few minutes later, under a shower of rice and well wishes, Ron and Hermione dashed out hand in hand to the front steps of the chapel.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione was laughing and smiling widely as was expected of her on her wedding day. The sun was shining brightly overhead and the picturesque chapel was the perfect backdrop for a romantic union. The day held no indication whatsoever about the turmoil boiling at the pit of Hermione's stomach. She had woken up today in cold sweat having dreamt of Draco Malfoy. Feelings of guilt and sadness had washed over her as she'd sat in bed, pressing the heels of her palms in her eyes and trying not to cry while she thought of him. She didn't know how long she'd sat there until Ginny had come into her room and witnessed her breakdown. Luckily for her Ginny had mistaken her condition for cold feet.

Hermione wanted desperately not to think about Draco. She had trained herself tirelessly and mercilessly not to think or even _talk_ about him in the aftermath of his death but today…today everywhere she went she was assaulted with memories of him. And sometimes she could almost swear that she had even felt his presence here with her.

At the present moment however, Hermione posed for pictures alongside with Ron on the front steps of the chapel, a perfect practiced smile on her face.

First with her parents and a teary eyed Molly Weasley. _Click click click_. Arthur Weasley had died tragically in the War and Hermione squeezed Ron's hand in a show of support. She knew how hard it must be for him to be standing here on his wedding day without his father.

Then with the entire Weasley brood. _Click click click._ Hermione stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the sea of red and general happiness.

Next with the bridesmaid, Ginny Weasley and Ron's best man, Harry Potter. Ginny fussed with Hermione's long white dress first, taking her duties as bridesmaid very seriously before turning to the camera. _Click click click._

Then just the three of them, the Golden Trio, Ron, Harry and Hermione. Harry stood between Ron and Hermione and their arms were wrapped around one another while they grinned genuinely for the camera. For a moment they were seventeen again and their picture later would be reminiscence from when they just graduated from Hogwarts. Harry then turned to Hermione and Ron and hugged them tightly in a three way embrace.

"Now don't the both of you go forgetting about me," Harry warned them, a twinkle in his green eyes.

"Never!" Hermione promised vehemently and she meant it. "It's always going to be the three of us."

And then finally just her and Ron for the pictures. Bride and groom. Man and wife. Hermione looked up at Ron to find him looking at her with such obvious love in his eyes. Sometimes it choked her when he looked at her like that. It suffocated her because she couldn't return his feelings wholly. A big ball of misery grew at the back of her throat as she swallowed back the threat of tears.

She couldn't love him the way she love Draco Malfoy. That love had died along with Draco. Hermione's heart twisted painfully as she remembered the times she'd imagine dreamily of looking into the mysterious grey eyes of Draco Malfoy on their wedding day. The vision of grey in her mind's eye faded quickly enough to the blue ones of Ron and instantly Hermione pasted a smile on her face.

She didn't want Ron to worry. She'd be a good wife to him, of that she'd make certain.

It just disturbed her that in all her little girl fantasies and later when she'd met the man she wanted to marry Hermione had always dreamt of a beachside wedding with only the people she truly loved as witnesses. Her parents, Harry, Ron and of course the groom. When she'd started substituting Draco for the groom she knew she would never live her dream wedding when Ron had proposed. She couldn't. Not with another man. Not with someone who was supposed to be the guest!

As the photographer continued to take candid shots Hermione's eyes were irresistibly drawn to the long winding path shaded by trees to the side of the Chapel and her smile faltered. If she'd been Bethany, she'd be able to see Draco standing there looking at her for the last time. His grey eyes were stormy as he took in everything he had loved and lost. When he finally turned away she'd have to watch the man she love walk away from her for the last time.

But Hermione wasn't Bethany and so she couldn't understand why a sudden weariness overtook her heart as her eyes travelled the long path he walked.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione sat down heavily at her dressing table in the chapel as her fingers tapped out a nervous beat against the table. The picture taking session was over and she had withdrawn to her dressing room. She didn't think she could keep up with that happy façade any longer. Hermione had to change out of her wedding dress quickly though because she was supposed to leave for her honeymoon right about now.

Ignoring the urgency of a delayed Portkey, Hermione slowly reached out and twisted the ring on her third finger of her left hand. She watched as the diamond caught the light and flashed beautifully. She hadn't…_couldn't_ take it off. Ron had understood her situation. He had never pressured her to remove it and for that she was eternally grateful to him.

Draco had proposed to her the night he died and she had accepted. In that godforsaken War she had been _happy_. It made it a thousand times worse when she'd come crashing down back to earth once she heard the horrifying news from Harry. Truth be told, Hermione didn't remember much from the days after Draco's death. It all seemed to blur together in a haze of misery, loneliness and heartache. Sometimes it got too hard to even be alive.

Hermione caught her reflection in the mirror as she stared miserably ahead. For once in her life she actually looked beautiful and he…he couldn't be here see it. Her hands itched to rip the veil away and just run and never look back. Hermione closed her eyes tightly and dug her nails into her palms. It just wouldn't do to think about him. He wasn't going to come back!

When she opened her eyes again Hermione gave a startled gasp. Reflected in the mirror was Neville Longbottom's 8 year old daughter Bethany standing in the doorway.

"Beth!"

"Aunt Hermione I've got a message for you."

"Oh right right! They want me to hurry right? I'm sorry I'll get changed at once," Hermione said feverishly as she stood up and started stuffing her makeup into a bag.

"He wants you to be happy."

"Oh your dad? Tell him I say thank you okay? I appreciate of all you coming," Hermione said, giving Bethany a quick smile as her hands worked wildly.

"Well he doesn't want you to be sad. He says he could see it in your eyes," Bethany said slowly.

Hermione stopped dead in the middle of stuffing a brush in the corner pocket of her bag.

"What?" she breathed out finally, as her shocked brown eyes met Bethany's understanding blue ones. "Your dad thinks I'm unhappy?"

She knew Neville had always been a kind and compassionate person but damn it she'd tried so hard to be happy! He wasn't supposed to see through her that easily!

To her surprise, Bethany shook her head slowly.

"Not my dad. Draco."

The brush fell from Hermione's hands, her body stiffened and her mind raced in a million different directions

"Bethany _what_ are you talking about?" Hermione finally asked, her voice a dangerous tremulous whisper.

Bethany smiled sadly.

"I'm not making it up Aunt Hermione," Bethany said earnestly. "I can see him. My dad says it's a very rare gift."

Hermione shook her head violently.

"No…no…NO! He's dead Beth. Please don't do this to me," her broken voice contrasting sharply with her violent actions.

"I know you believe me Aunt Hermione."

And Hermione did. She really did. No matter how impossible it may be. People didn't just play cruel jokes on other people like that. Deep in the corner recesses of her heart Hermione had always hoped that he hadn't just left her like that. That he'd find a way to say goodbye, and now Bethany was telling her that he did.

"Is he here now?" Hermione asked slowly her eyes travelling wildly around the room, as her knees finally gave in and she sat heavily on a chair.

"No. He had to leave. He told me to tell you that you make a beautiful bride. And he wished that it could have been him but since it couldn't, congratulations anyway."

Hermione nodded once and that simple gesture looked painful to make.

"He wants you to know he's fine. Well, he's sorry that he's dead but he says not to worry because he'll definitely find you in the next life."

For a long moment Hermione soaked in her words.

"Did…di..did he say anything else?" Hermione whispered finally, searching Bethany's eyes desperately.

"No. But Aunt Hermione…," Bethany said coming forward and taking Hermione's trembling hands. "He didn't have to say I love you. I could see it. He _knows_ that you know."

And she did know. Hermione's heart felt as if was breaking all over again as she bent her head low and bit hard on her lip.

"He did tell me to do one last thing though," Bethany said in a soothing voice.

Before Hermione could lift her head, Bethany gently kissed Hermione's temple and whispered in her ear, "Be happy. I'll see you soon."

The tears that Hermione had been suppressing for such a long time slipped from the corner of Hermione's eyes as she shivered involuntarily at Bethany's actions. She hadn't heard those words since Draco had left the Headquarters and never returned. Draco had whisper those very words in her ear and kiss her _every time_ he left for a mission during those long years ago. It had been their special little mantra.

"Be safe. I'll be there," Hermione finally whispered back brokenly, her words a perfect reply for his.

Bethany who had been told to wait for that very response hugged Hermione tightly once and then respectfully she left Hermione alone.

Hermione sat there, letting her tears flow down her cheeks unchecked as she cried and cried. Heart rending sounds that showed how she really felt but could never say.

Though she had married Ron Weasley, Hermione knew that in the eyes of love she and Draco would always be man and wife.


End file.
